John Boehner defends the contempt of Congress vote against Attorney General Eric Holder during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, June 21, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

(Newser)
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The White House's last-ditch effort to avoid a contempt of Congress vote against Eric Holder has failed and John Boehner says the House will move forward with the vote, the AP reports. The Obama administration had offered to show congressional investigators some of the documents related to Fast and Furious, the ATF's failed gun-walking operation, CNN adds. The National Rifle Association is paying close attention to the vote, leading some Democrats—concerned for their prospects in an election year—to cross to the Republican side and vote for contempt.

One of the first Democrats to come forward publicly with his plan to do so is Utah's Jim Matheson, Politico reports. "Utahns expect and deserve transparency and accountability from government officials, especially when a tragedy such as the death of a US Border Patrol agent occurs," he says in a statement. He and 30 other Democratic lawmakers signed a letter to President Obama this month expressing "serious concerns about the Administration's response" to the Fast and Furious investigation. Tomorrow's vote is expected to go mostly along party lines, and it is not yet clear how many Democrats will defect.

In Arizona you can walk into a gun shop and buy 100 guns as long as you say they are for your own use. As soon as you walk out of the store you can "change your mind" and sell them to whomever you like. The ATF had 38 people they wanted to arrest for buying guns and selling them on the street. AZ prosecuters would not arrest these people because it "violated" their 2nd amendment rights. You can't have it both ways. Why do you think the vast majority of these guns going to Mexico are purchased in AZ?

ProbolyKnot

Jun 27, 2012 11:11 PM CDT

This is nothing more than character assassination. The republicans are afraid of Mitt losing the election so they need to attack Holder in the same way they've been attacking Obama for the past 4 years. The republicans have zero justified reason to be doing this. The fact that it will never leave the House and the fact that Boehner picked the same day as the SCOTUS healthcare ruling is proof that this is nothing more than character assassination.

Fronteir94600

Jun 27, 2012 8:53 PM CDT

Republicans don't take an oath to their country. Their oaths are to their rich donors and Grover Norquist only.